The Lost Heir
by SaveMeJonSnow
Summary: When Uri Reiss had a daughter from his relationship with a red-haired girl in Wall Sina, he could not allow that child to accept the power of his Titan Shifter, not with what would happen in the next few years. It was enough that Uri lived this torturous life, not for his daughter.
1. PROLOG

**835th year.**

_**10 years before the destruction of Shinganshina.**_

* * *

_Sweat was streaming down on the woman's temple and the sound of her breathing was short of breath._

_Her legs widened on the bed, her green eyes wandering wildly staring at anyone who could stop this pain. There was no light there, her forehead furrowed, and she was eager to pull the doctor's black hair in front of her._

_To reduce the pain, a cloth stuck in her mouth prevented her from biting her tongue. It had never occurred to her in her brain that giving birth to a human would be as painful and difficult as this._

'_Uri...' her mind drove suddenly, letting her head wander while the doctors were still taking care of everything she didn't know._

_"Where's Uri?" she thought again._

_She must see that man, she must see his face, that man must be near her._

_Her mother's dark red hair was visible at the corner of her eyes. That woman's face was very worried, faint wrinkles visible above her temples and under her eyes._

_"My Dear, you will be fine. Your father has brought two experienced doctors." Her forehead was kissed affectionately, "You will be fine."_

_She wanted to make a voice, ask where Uri was, or where was the man when his wife was dying?_

_She really wants._

_But the wave of pain came again, made her like stabbed by thousands of knives._

'_It's coming out...' she thought. 'The baby will come out...'_

_Coinciding with the wave of pain, one of the middle-aged doctors in front of her gently bended her legs, leading her to inhale then exhale. While the other one is busy doing whatever she doesn't know. She was too focused on the sudden surge of pain._

_She could not interpret what this pain was like. Too difficult._

_The first wave, she bit down hard on the cloth. Let her screams muffled in the room._

_She could still hear the faint encouraging voice of the doctor below and the soft voice of her mother beside her bed. The sweep of the hand felt soft on her scalp, her mother had just sat closer and held one hand._

_The second wave, she closed her eyes when a scream escaped her mouth, she no longer cared if it sounded noisy. The pain is more important than the comfort of the people around._

_She can also feel something moving out of her genitals, something she knows she is fighting for, something very petite trying to get a new life in this small world._

_"It's halfway... prepare a soft cloth..." The voice was faint, but she could still hear it._

_Her eyes were heavy, sweat left her temples which now rested on her neck. She was like being under a splash of waterfall. She wants to fall asleep, she wants to end this and rest, she wants to do that._

_But…_

_There are little creatures who still want this mortal life._

_Her baby, Uri's baby, heir to the kingdom, king or future queen of a small kingdom._

_She can't give up._

_Third wave, her eyes open slowly and then widen completely. She had removed the cloth from her pale lips, she shouted again and again until she felt she could no longer make a sound and her throat was dry._

_Something moved longer this time. Although invisible from her perspective, she could feel the blood seeping out._

_'Quite a lot…' she thought weakly._

_Not feeling tears welling up at the tip of her green eyes, she sobbed as the sound of a baby crying loudly filled the air. She still felt the blood flowing so she didn't know how much, she didn't care anymore._

_"... Ahh, girl. She is so beautiful ..." said the first doctor, letting her mind wander unconsciously to the child in her arms, she did not know that they were distracting her brain from heavy bleeding._

_She does not know._

_The doctor carried the baby wrapped in a soft white cloth in her hand. With enthusiasm, her mother took over and put the little creature in her own arms, smiling happily._

_"Look at her, Merle. How similar she is to her father, oh look at her eyes!" Merle looked at the baby with a wistful look, happily soaring in her chest. Proud of having given birth to a beautiful and healthy daughter._

_But sadness spreads again. Her mind just floated where Uri went. Even when she had given birth to their child, Uri did not reveal her nose._

_'You don't know who I am?' The voice of someone she knew very well rang in her head suddenly, the question was sudden and plain._

'_Should I know someone I've never seen before?' She replied with wide eyes, 'I'm not a fortune teller.'_

_The man snorted happily, 'That's good.'_

'_Why should I know you? Are you an important person?' she asked, really innocent and did not know anything at that time._

_The wind brushed her red hair, flew some to the east, the sunset to the west of Wall Sina, until the red flare spread across the sky._

_'No...' He said slowly and softly, she could still feel the warmth behind his gaze. 'I'm happy.'_

_Merle never once looked her gaze in the other direction. She looked at the long face of the man beside her, strange waves creeping like butterflies in her stomach. How peaceful it was, feeling the sunset on the lake with a gentle breeze. The swan mother is even still there with her children._

_'Eh?' She looked at the lake at the moment, but Merle was sure he was still listening to her. 'You're a strange man.'_

_'I often come here in the late afternoon, do you too?' He asked._

_Merle shook her head, no. 'I only come occasionally when something is bothering me.' Her breathing is heavy, 'By the way, I'm Merle Beichler.'_

'_Uri.'_

'_Only Uri?' He nodded and smiled softly, 'Alright...'_

_Merle's mind returned._

_Why did she have to remember that strange meeting now?_

_She has no idea. The baby next to her flailed her face with tiny reddish fingers._

_For a moment, she felt alone with her baby. No matter what chaos is going on out there, no matter where Uri is now. She just wants to be with her baby, take care of her until she is old and dead, she wants to carry her every night and put her to sleep on her lap._

_Something that she always wanted when it was time for her to be a mother._

_Her reverie broke when the sound of the door was forced open._

_Her eyes were immediately fixed on the man in the white shirt with grayish black hair. Uri is coming. He came soaked with sweat._

_Her eyes widened._

_Obviously Uri was hiding from people to come to her parents' residence. Her father was behind her husband, also in a state of wheezing, it seems like he was chasing Uri._

_The man's steps were fast and long, his facial expression could not be read._

_Only one hug, Merle's body was already in the gentle embrace of the man in front of her, she was still having difficulty sitting. While the doctors are still busy cleaning something down there._

_"Uri..."_

_Not long after that, his hug slipped, causing that man to kiss her forehead and lips repeatedly. Countless of them. She actually didn't have the chance to count them because she was still in shock from Uri's sudden arrival._

_"I'm sorry... I'm really sorry, my dear. I was preoccupied with parliamentary requests and Stationary Troops. I'm sorry." Uri's breath was panting, sweat running down that man's temple. She was drawn again to the reality when two pairs of hands grabbed her. "I know you will not forgive me."_

_Her eyes widened, cupped her husband's cheek, looked down to stop the cry. She could not. The cry broke. She did not know what to say, on the one hand she was still angry at Uri but on the other hand she was happy seeing her husband's face again. Like her thirst is gone._

_Her memory returned to the time when Uri stood to the left of the Pastor and waited. Her green eyes seemed grayish exposed to the sparkle of light. It was daytime, she was wearing a dress that matched the color with Uri's shirt. There was her father beside her, holding her hand to take her to the destination. Then there was her mother, and three close cousins. Their eyes looked stunned when the simple white dress dragged gracefully._

_The procession of reading the sacred promise of marriage, exchanging rings crossed her mind. A happy smile was displayed on the lips of every guest, not many that they invited in this marriage. Or indeed Uri who did not want a big wedding in the palace._

_Merle was principled maybe her husband did not like the crowd, as evidenced when they went on a date several times. Uri will choose to take a walk along the lake or into the forest and look for beautiful and unique flowers. Uri also never sent her a letter, in one week they met only four times._

_When Merle found out that Uri was the successor to the previous king, she knelt at the man for the first time. Uri must have looked at her strangely, however Uri was the next king._

_Uri Reiss._

'_Don't kneel. I have not become king.' He said at that time._

_At that moment, she remembered again that indeed Uri could not announce that he had married a girl from Wall Sina. Wonder what is on Uri's mind, she tried not to find out._

_There was no representative from the Reiss family when their marriage arrived. Even Uri's eldest brother, Rod, did not show his nose._

_Is it possible that only Uri knew that they were getting married? What is the reason for all that?_

_Almost one year she lived in a house the hill is close to the intermediary Wall Sina and the Wall Rose area. Hidden from spies, assassins and other evil titles who try to find out the weakness of King Uri. At that time, five months after they were married, Uri was appointed king. About four months into her pregnancy, she returns to her parents' home at night._

_Is she the Queen now?_

_She chuckled at her own thoughts._

_There is no Queen living in the interior of Wall Sina, no one._

_The wave of pain reappeared, this time more severe until it interrupted her reverie._

_Panic sounds could be heard from below, making her look up a little and staring at the bloody cloth in the hands of the doctors who insisted on arguing over something._

_She hasn't had the time to name her baby, she should have done it before. What is a good name for her daughter?_

_"Katharina..." she murmured in a hoarse and deep voice. Uri's eyes stared at her wide, and a weak smile crossed her own lips._

_"... Please give her the name Katharina ..." she continued struggling. She did not know why her chest felt heavy and her breath was short of breath. She felt her whole body rather cold and began to creep up from her feet._

_"Don't beg, whatever you say I will do." Her husband's voice faintly said. Sounding very melodious in her own ears, she smiled happily for it._

_She could see her mother's pale face approaching, her father who was behind her mother looked much older than usual. Her breath pull was rusty._

_"Hey ... look at me, Merle." Her eyes glazed and tried to force the will of that voice. "We will treat her together. You will be a good mother," Is that a sob?_

_Her eyes grew heavier, even the light as bright as the sun could not make her stop this drowsiness. "Is that so?" She muttered no more._

_It feels strange._

_Her eyes closed slowly after that, making her dazed in the dark._

_Then, a ray of light dazzled her eyelids, she flew in a bright, all-white place. There was no one there but herself and someone who reached out to guide her to the light._

'_Where's Uri?' Her voice echoed._

'_Where is Katharina?' That person just paused and still held out his/her hand as if to welcome her and told her to follow the shadow._

_Everything felt strange to her, she needed Uri and Katharina beside her. 'Have you seen them? I ... I have to go back ...'_

'_Do you know how to get out of this place?' This time the person nodded._

_That person's voice echoes beautifully like the songs and praises she often approaches when she approaches the church, even more sweet than that._

'_Follow me, Merle Beichler. Our aim will be far more beautiful.' The voice was lilting._

_Merle looked around, hesitant but kept going. She did not know what was driving her to keep going, step again and again so that her hands could come in contact with picking people in front of the light._

_A strange thing happened when her hand touched the hand, a glimpse of all her activities with her family, Uri and Katharina crossed each side of the place. She did not know what magic this was._

_Uri hugged her thin body, and reached for the baby in his arms, kissed her many times. Wait…_

_Is that her body?_

_So is she dead? Is that true?_

_Her mother cried with a blushing face, even her father who was known to be hard-tempered seemed devastated by their current situation._

'_You give life to a newborn human.' The voice echoed again._

'_She's my daughter ...' she answered calmly now. For some reason she felt calm when she saw the face of Katharina who was peacefully asleep in her father's arms._

'_Do you regret it?'_

_She did not turn around, still staring at her grieving little family who would lose her. She did not breathe, either because it was not her duty to do that in another world. She no longer needs breath, heartbeat and blood flow. 'Absolutely not.'_

_Her mother's face was visible on her face, why does that woman look younger here?_

_Does her father look more resolute here even though his shoulders are bent?_

_Uri's stoic face, kissing her lips repeatedly, fixed her red manus that fell unconsciously on each side. Even she can still feel the softness of her husband's lips from up here._

_She smiled happily._

_How peaceful it is now._

'_Will the place be even more beautiful?' She asked unconsciously._

_'Very beautiful.'_

_Her eyes widened curiously. 'No Titan?'_

'_There is no Titan. The others are waiting for you.' It's said softly, reminding her of Uri's voice while at the lake._

_Her steps were now more steady than before, walking closer to the direction of the light. She melted into the light, making her body swallowed by the dazzling white light. until the light covered her face and her visibility, the faintest thing she saw was Katharina's peaceful face and a small smile on her lips. _

_It feels peaceful. _

_Peaceful._


	2. Chapter 1 : The Childhood

**840****th**** year.**

* * *

The sun is shining so brightly. Her eyes got dizzy looking up.

"It must be near noon," she thought.

This morning, she had rushed to her feet to help Aunt Maude work in the fields. After feeding three horses in a stable, she rushed to collect firewood. Said the woman who she considered her own mother, she must keep moving her body so as not to stiff even though her muscles are small.

But clear skies aren't necessarily a sign that rain won't flush the earth. All the natural activities she learned from Aunt Maude who had lived in the forest for a long time.

The old hut awaited her now, as if to summon her to take shelter under a rickety roof. The house is still quite far from the forest, she must cross the river first to get there. Her stomach was also rumbling and wanted to immediately finish the job of taking firewood.

And it's true.

Cloudy clouds arrived and hung over the bright sunlight. The rain fell instantly, making her whole body almost soaked. If she doesn't make a fire soon, she will die of cold this summer.

The old hut was the usual place for Aunt Maude to stay and she stopped by when she went together to fetch medicinal herbs and firewood in the forest. If the time to look for medicinal plants is long enough until late at night, then the hut is their shelter until the morning before the sun rises.

The new age will reach, and tomorrow is the day of her birth. If the rain doesn't stop soon, Aunt Maude will worry. She didn't want Aunt Maude to worry anymore. The last time she worried Aunt when she tried fishing in the river until the evening, she was 4 years old. When Auntie found it, she was bare-chested and didn't know where she was storing her clothes, or maybe being carried away by a river that was not swift. Fish are also reluctant to eat the bait.

After all, she enjoyed playing in the river because the river and Wall Sina were quite close, she could see the Wall rising high.

Her mind was racing again. If she doesn't come home today, the kind-hearted man won't see her at home. With all her intention, she tied the firewood to the wooden basket and immediately carried the basket on her small back.

'_Breaking through the rain is the best thing.'_

Rain in the summer is not too bad than rain in winter, rain and snow will fall if the weather is extreme enough. But this time she could get through this rain even though her body would shiver when she got home, and the firewood wouldn't be able to be used immediately. It takes days to dry firewood in the sun.

Her tiny feet occasionally stepped on a puddle of mud on the ground to splash brown soil in her long dark blue skirt that was investigating. Eve began to cool, and her blouse was wet, only her back had not yet been completely wet because it was blocked by a wooden basket.

Hair stuck to her forehead and neck, realized how long her hair was. She had to report to Aunt so that her hair was cut. Aunt Maude doesn't like her long hair. She said, it hinders every activity she does because she has to tie and comb too long.

To be honest, she likes her hair if it's long.

She ran this time to let her blood flow and not clot. In addition, walking alone in the forest this time was enough to scare her, the dark clouds covering the sunlight and making the forest even darker. If she had never followed Aunt Maude to the forest, maybe now she was lost.

Shortness of breath.

"Do not stop! Or my blood will freeze!" She said encouraging herself.

The sound of the river began to be heard, a smile began to break out on her face.

"Thank God!" She muttered cheerfully.

At least she was brave enough to make the decision not to live in a hut.

The river stretches long when it is at the edge of the forest and flows quite swiftly than usual, if the days without rain the river water will only reach the waist of her tiny body. But this time the river water was a little swifter and surely she would be dragged if she forced to cross.

After this river water, she will climb the hill and under the hill is her home. There was no way the screaming would reach the green hill. Except Aunt Maude came to help her.

Rain digs the ground, making small holes invisible to the eye. Her whole body was soaking wet, even her back too. Feeling heavier than usual, she dropped the wooden basket to the ground, leaving the wood scattered.

There is no other way but to wait for the rain to subside.

Speaking of kind-hearted man, herself doesn't know who he really is. They never lack food, not even clothes. There is always food every week, new clothes and new books. The rooms are full of books with different titles.

A kind-hearted man will come with a sack of oats, five racks of eggs, flour making food, rare animal meat and fresh vegetables and fruits. Thinking about it all she remembered again with a hungry stomach.

Aunt Maude accepted all of that, she said that they should not waste the kindness of people who had wanted to share their food and clothing with the people on the Wall Sina.

Because she did not know the man's real name, she called him 'Kind-hearted Man'.

Her head looked up at the Wall again, staring at how tall the wall was.

Her voice was quiet, "What's out there?"

She once read a book from one of the books brought by the Kind-Hearted Man, about the three walls that surround humans in them. Wall Mari is the outer wall, followed by Wall Rose as the second and last wall is the wall that is currently being watched.

Wall Sina.

The brain is too small to define how big the area is in place. She wanted to go to other areas which were busier than her house, she wanted to see the tall buildings she had seen in picture books. But, she did not want to see Titan. It was enough to be horrified to see them only through books, she would not be able to stare at Titan's terrifyingly tall body.

Aunt Maude never saw Titan, so she didn't get a general idea of what they looked like. However, after the book came, she was horrified and did not want to open the next chapter again.

She had read the history of the three Walls, she had read the tenacity and courage of the Survey Corps, she had also read the kingdom. Although she lived on the outskirts of Wall Sina, she knew the king was ruling now. She had also read history about the royal family, about King Uri Reiss who did not want to get married and chose his old age alone, she had read it.

There are no pictures in the history book, only a few specifications that train her brain to imagine what kind of situation is out there.

The water fell on her boy's pointed hair, making her look up to the sky and the rain hit her face. Coldness began to spread from her feet to her hands. Although her body was still in place, but her mind drove far outside.

'_If you look around, without Titan surely the world...'_

Until a familiar voice called her from across the river, interrupting her reverie that was halfway through. She turned her head, found Aunt Maude who was also soaking wet.

She could not stop her eyes that widened innocently and her lips which gave a smile of happiness.

"Katharina! Wait there!"

Katharina nodded vigorously, she immediately took her wooden basket and picked up the scattered woods. Arranging the wood again as usual and tying it with cold trembling hands.

Aunt Maude is a tough and strong person, she can even cross the river water easily.

Katharina waited in an upright position and held both sides of the basket rope being carried.

Aunt Maude arrived not long after. After taking the wooden basket from Katharina's back, she removed the veil from her head and immediately wrapped it around the girl's body until only her silvery green eyes could be seen.

The girl looked up with an innocent expression before finally Aunt Maude raised her on her own back. "I told you not to go looking for firewood. You are so stubborn."

Katharina looked down this time.

Aunt Maude was right, this way she was just as troublesome to Aunt. She should not have insisted on following her will to prove herself that she has memorized every road in the forest.

"A... a… are you angry, aunty?" Her voice sounded weak, but it was like that of Katharina's voice even on ordinary days. "I-I'm sorry for troubling you."

The water felt at her feet when they started to cross the river, the flow had already fallen slightly below Aunt Maude's waist.

"I'm indeed angry." Aunt Maude said bluntly, Katharina still looking down. Raindrops felt above her head, absorbing through the thin fibers of cloth that coiled around Katharina's body. "But I'm not upset at you, you're not bothering me, Katharina."

Her eyes widened this time.

Before she could respond and speak, Aunt Maude continued to say, "Thank you, for taking the trouble to get firewood."

Aunt Maude's smile calmed her from the guilt and the cold in the rain.

She nodded happily, showing her teeth when smiling. "Hn!"

Katharina stepped on land again, letting Aunt Maude hold her hand as they walked up the hill. On this hill, she could see the river flowing down and down until it was not visible. The rain started subsided, making a small drizzle. Cloudy clouds drifted away from the sky, carried by the wind from the east side. The sheen of the river exposed to the sun creates a colorful glow.

Her head continued to pay attention to the beautiful natural activities until the hills began to drown everything from her point of view.

"Tomorrow is your birthday, Katharina?" The soft voice of her aunt was heard, succeeding in making her turn her eyes completely to the tall figure beside her.

She nodded excitedly again, "Hn!"

"What gift do you want this time?"

_Gift?_

Her eyes radiated confusion, "A gift?"

Aunt Maude smiled. "Well, a gift. A gift is a present from people you care about, or know. When you have a birthday, people will give gifts to you. Can be in the form of money, goods or requests."

"Can I ask for it?" Katharina asked enthusiastically, her face turning red.

"Of course you can," answered her aunt, making her very happy. "So, what gift would you like to ask for?"

Katharina looked away, looked down to think. Suddenly she remembered something.

"Can I come with you when you go to the city?" she asked, sounding more like begging than asking. Katharina measured her aunt's expression before continuing, "I want to see other people. All this time I only saw you and the horses ... and a kind man."

Aunt Maude's expression was unreadable, Katharina became afraid. "B-BUT IF YOU DON'T WANT, I DO NOT FORCE! I-I WILL ASK FOR ANYTHING ELSE!"

A small chuckle sounded, and she knew it belonged to Aunt Maude. Katharina still looked down worriedly, dropping her eyes at the tip of her sandals.

"We will leave tomorrow after the kind-hearted man arrives. We will go with the wooden train and you can see anything you want to visit there." Aunt Maude said calmly.

"Really?" She asked incredulously, glancing at Aunt Maude.

And her aunt just smiled and nodded.

Her heart warms up again.

"But I hope you don't get bored by just looking at my face and the horses. Or are you really bored?"

Katharina shook her head in disapproval, making her veil fall from her head. "No! It is not like th―"

Unfinished Katharina said it, her aunt had cut her words again, her forehead furrowed in annoyance at the actions of Aunt Maude who always cut her off from the moment she tried to explain something if she did something wrong.

"I know, I know. Come on, dry your body. You can catch a cold." Aunt Maude's hand reached for the tip of her grayish black hair. "We need to cut your hair."

Katharina just nodded, following Aunt Maude who entered the house. Because of too much chat, she forgot that they arrived.

Medicines hang from the ceiling of their homes, on average they are dry and ready to be ground until smooth. In her free time, Katharina will help Aunt Maude prepare medicines to be delivered to the city center and sold.

It's not every day she lives with Aunt Maude. Aunt Maude could be said to be a doctor, she made a mixture of medicines from natural ingredients, mostly from plants. Although no one can be cared for in the suburbs of Wall Sina, Aunt Maude's abilities are needed in the city center.

Twice a week, she would leave Katharina alone, the purpose of delivering natural medicines that had been made downtown and selling them there. The price of drugs is very expensive, auntie said it.

Katharina entered her room, took off all her clothes and immediately changed to a drier clothes. A loose white t-shirt, and a knee-length pink skirt.

It feels more comfortable.

After closing the window of her room and turning on the small lamp on the bedside table, she walked to the bed, sat down on the bed. Her hand reached for a book lying on the bed.

'THE WORLD BEYOND THE WALLS'

Remembering before she did not sleep until late because reading this very intriguing book, about a person's journey outside the wall. About the sea and the vast desert.

The sea and the desert are very strange spoken on her tongue, she never saw what the sea or desert like. According to this book, the sea is similar to a river, but the water is salty and far more. The color is blue and as long as your eyes are looking, you cannot see the land.

"Are there still humans outside Wall Maria?" She found herself muttering. Making imaginations makes no sense.

'_There's no way anymore. Only we humans are left in this world. All have been eaten by Titan. Even if there is, then that person is very great because it survives outside the walls.'_

She immediately ignored her thoughts and kept the book neatly on the prepared bookshelves.

"Oh God… I should have helped aunt pound the medicine!" She said suddenly before finally patting her forehead she was upset, immediately left her room and brought her pile of clothes to wash tomorrow.

* * *

**842th Year**

* * *

King Uri's death reached Katharina's ear.

A kind-hearted man came with the news on her birthday, that King Uri had died of an illness that had taken him away.

The man also brought another news, about her.

They sat in the living room, sitting on the floor because there were no chairs in their house. Only this time Katharina felt a strange tension in her stomach, snaking like a snake. Aunt Maude didn't even say much as usual when kind-hearted man always came with food ingredients.

Usually Aunt Maude would nag because a kind-hearted man forgets just one thing, but today is very different. Aunt Maude was more silent, her face contorted between dislike and other worries.

Katharina was too young to see all that.

"Miss Maude, we must take her to a safer place. This place is known to spies." A kind man began. With modesty he continued. "It turns out they have known its whereabouts three years ago. We only understood their plan two years ago before King Uri died."

Katharina paused, looking down as Aunt Maude's gaze wandered over her. She had not cut her hair in four months, now growing longer than the last time her aunt cut it.

A deep breath came from Aunt Maude, "Where are you going to take her?"

The kind man opened his voice again, "To Wall Rose, the main headquarters of Survey Corps. That is the safest place in the whole place. We make sure she will be fine, Miss Maude."

Why does she need to be moved? She did not harm anyone, she is comfortable beside Aunt Maude. Katharina looked at Aunt Maude once more, casting a reproachful look at the kind-hearted man first.

Unfortunately at that time she was too little to understand everything, to issue her opinion and oppose their will. Even Aunt Maude just resigned herself to the situation.

Is it true she will leaving Aunt Maude?

"Is this the King's direct order?" Aunt Maude asked again.

Tears had drowned in Katharina's eyelids, ready to shed all her complaints and expel the kind-hearted man from their home. Her shoulders even trembled as she held back tears.

"That's right, Miss Maude. Before King Uri died, he ordered his trusted people to move her to the Survey Corps base in Wall Rose. He also ordered that you return to the city center, the other royal family has not suspected that you are caring for her all this time. So, there is still a chance before they realize this. Its existence is dangerous for the royal family now. Therefore, Miss Maude, we ask for your cooperation."

Katharina could not hold back the tears and pain in her chest. She sobbed, making her knees bent wet with tears falling from her face.

The little girl was very fragile, she cried and immediately hugged Aunt Maude. Her face was red and full of tears, snot was scattered around her nose. The hug was tight, and Katharina wouldn't let go.

"I-sob-I don't want ..." She doesn't know what she was talking about, her voice and speech unclear. "Go ... don't go, auntie! I ... I don't want to ...-sob-...-sob-... alone again ..."

Her shoulders trembled violently, her aunt returned her hug tightly. The crying became more and more intense, she did not want to part with another person again. No longer.

"I ...-sob-... will ... come ... with you ..." she continued.

"... Katharina."

It's enough that she lost her mother when she first breathed in the air in this world, it's also enough he lost her father who disappeared somewhere. She doesn't have grandparents. She only had Aunt Maude who cared for her. She only loved Aunt Maude.

"Katharina, you can't come with me." Her aunt answered calmly.

Does her aunt cry too? Is she also sad because she will part with her?

"Even so..." her voice softly combined with the sobs of Katharina. "We will definitely meet again next time. I will see you, Katharina. If you have free time, I will visit you."

"You're lying!" Katharina said irritably.

Aunt Maude's hand rubbing her head made her calm down a little, "Your hair is long again, you have to cut it often, you know that right?" Katharina unconsciously nodded and rubbed her red eyes. "When you often cut it, I will remember you and from there I will come visit you. We will go to the city, you can choose anything you like."

"Is it true? If I often cut my hair and don't leave it long, will you remember me?" Her innocent eyes make it hard for people to look away.

Aunt Maude's hand rubbed her cheek and wiped the remnants of tears there. "Yes."

"You will often come visit me right?"

Aunt Maude nodded again, there were drops of tears welling up there. "Hn."

"When I grow up, I'll be a doctor like you, aunty," Katharina said.

A tight hug swept Katharina's body, made her realize that Aunt Maude hugged her first, she returned the hug affectionately. Katharina swore there was a small sob from behind her back.

'_Is she crying?'_

'_Is she sad too because he will part with me?'_

A kind man's voice interrupts her reverie, making her return to her senses. "I'm sorry to disturb this sentimental state, Miss Maude. We must hurry, there is a train waiting ahead, not wanting someone to overtake us carrying Katharina."

Aunt Maude also woke up, rubbing her pink cheeks.

"I will prepare the equipment and clothes." Aunt Maude said before moving from the floor to sit leaving Katharina with a kind man in front of her.

Katharina had no intention of looking up and face to face with him, irritation still creeping in her heart. The man's face was like stone, expressionless. But it was the man who broke the silence for the first time.

For the first time he introduced his name.

"My name is Abelard Bardo. Sorry I just introduced my name at a time like this."

Katharina looked up into his bright blue eyes, "Abelard? Bardo?"

"You can call me Abelard," the kindly man said.

Katharina wiped away the remnants of tears Aunt Maude hadn't wiped. "Uncle Abelard, may I ask you something?"

"Yes."

There were many things Katharina wanted to ask about something, about why she had to separate from Aunt Maude and be transferred to Wall Rose. Katharina wanted to ask who Abelard really was, why she was like a guardian angel assigned by God to keep Katharina from starving.

But what came out of her mouth was, "Do you know my father?"

Katharina had never asked anyone about this before, even to Aunt Maude. Katharina knew that this topic was very sensitive to discuss, especially about the origin of her family that herself did not know. Who are the people who use the name Beichler besides her?

Once when Katharina asked, why didn't Aunt Maude's name end in Beichler, it seems, Aunt Maude answered that she wasn't her real aunt. They were not blood related, but Aunt Maude was very close to Katharina's mother. No other answers followed after that, making Katharina's mind hang.

But today, she must know a little about her father. Although only the name.

"I know him, Katharina."

Her lips curled into a small smile, "Ah, you-you must know his name, Uncle Abelard?"

Her heart pounding, Uncle Abelard cast the same, expressionless stone look. But as his forehead frowned slightly, there was no way Katharina could see him across the small table that was blocking them.

"I know his name." Her heartbeat accelerated, as if she had run down and up the hill behind the house. It looks like she will be hit by a panic attack. "But sorry, Katharina. I can't mention that to you."

Her feelings fell instantly.

Her voice was hoarse, but she was still trying to be strong. "W-Why?!"

"Your father told me to tell everything when you grow up. You have to survive, that's all I can say to you right now."

She didn't want to ask this question again next time, as if Uncle Abelard had hurt her. She reached for the side of her heart which was covered in a loose shirt.

'Why does it hurt?' She thought.

Aunt Maude arrived shortly after, carrying the package Katharina assumed was her clothes. "I have prepared everything in here, Katharina. Your clothes and some books that you like are already inside. Don't be a disobedient child, you should listen to what parents say if it's for your own good."

Katharina nodded obediently, letting Uncle Abelard take over the bag from Aunt Maude.

"Then we must hurry before nightfall." Uncle Abelard's eyes flew to Aunt Maude. "Miss Maude, we hope that you immediately vacate this place as soon as possible, fearing bad events will come. We know the power of the Military Police who are in power on the orders of the new Queen."

'_New queen? Eh? Who?'_

"You don't need to worry. I'll leave right away after this, but there's still something I need to take care of," said Aunt Maude.

She walked beside Aunt Maude who held her hand tighter than usual. Her feelings were mixed, but she did not know why. Even after she sat on the train and placed her bag next to her, her heart was troubled when she saw the look on Aunt Maude's face that was so calm, as if nothing would happen after this.

After saying goodbye, the train closed the curtain, leaving her alone inside with a bag of boiled sweet potato Aunt Maude gave it to her. Even under these circumstances Aunt Maude still reminded her to eat.

Her eyes felt hot, and there were more puddles waiting to be poured out.

She waited, kept waiting whether she would cry again.

That did not happen.

She always remembered the words of Aunt Maude who would come to drink her in a new place in Wall Rose.

She even prayed to whatever who heard her out there, "Please protect us both, protect Aunt Maude so she can see me again, protect me so I can see her again."

The rattling of the wheel that occasionally touches with gravel makes her heart always wary. The surroundings had begun to darken, until the hill she often climbed with Aunt Maude was no longer visible, the trees were increasingly sparse and the sound of the river flowed slowly away.

'_Is Wall Rose quieter or maybe ... more crowded?'_

She hadn't missed Aunt Maude in an hour, she had missed three horses in a stable, she had missed corn and sweet potatoes. She also missed the forest and the river, even the rickety old huts in the middle of the forest.

"Who built that hut?" She found herself muttering again.

* * *

**Two Weeks Later…**

* * *

"Are you sure she can work in the kitchen?"

The worker glanced at the petite figure who sat on the dining room chair while wagging her feet that didn't step on the ground.

Abelard nodded steadily, convincing the woman's chef to believe his words. "I'm very sure, Miss Lilli."

Once again, the woman's chef's eyes had not been separated from the body of the little girl who was now glancing around with high curiosity. "But ... she's very small."

"A person's ability cannot be measured by body shape, Miss Lilli. Your body is also small, but you're good at cooking for the hundreds of cadets here." The speech succeeded in making the chef's woman glare sharply at Abelard.

Abelard cleared his throat, "Sorry."

Abelard watched the woman's expression again, her face slightly reddened either because of the temperature or either. Abelard did not dare to ask.

Because the atmosphere was quite awkward, Abelard took the initiative to call Katharina, but apparently Katharina was beside him now. Stand with their little feet. Also remembering that her hair was longer than two weeks ago, maybe Abelard should ask the chef woman to cut Katharina's hair according to Miss Maude's request.

'Is this because of the blood of Reiss who are almost all midgets?' Abelard thought.

"Is this my new abode, Uncle Abelard?" Katharina asked, tilting her head toward the towering Abelard.

Abelard only nodded in response.

There was a small 'Oh' tone in response to Katharina, her head looking back before stopping to where the chef woman was standing upright and holding a spatula.

"Tell me, sweetie. What can you do in the kitchen?" Asked the chef woman in a demanding tone.

Katharina's mouth opened, forming a vocal letter. "I can wash my clothes, and feed horses. I can do the dishes and glasses."

Abelard nodded in agreement, his eyes closed and his lips tightly closed. When he opened it, the chef lady looked at him with a slightly friendly look.

"Is she can be accepted?" He asked calmly, staring straight at her.

"Has Commander Shadis agreed to this?" The cooker asked.

Abelard nodded once more as a short answer.

There was a red color on the cheek of the chef woman once more, her hand held up raising the spatula in front of her as if she wanted to hit Abelard with that iron object. Her voice was annoyed for something and Abelard did not know what it was. "Then why are you asking my opinion again? If Commander Shadis has agreed to this, don't ask my opinion again!"

Katharina looked frightened, Abelard glanced at the girl who immediately walked back and hid behind his long legs. His eyes glanced at Katharina's, making them look at each other. "You scared her, Miss Lilli." He said before finally turning his gaze to the chef woman.

Not having time to see the expression of the chef woman, Abelard continued. "I just want to ask your opinion as a formality and manners. It's not beautiful if I immediately bring Katharina to this place without the knowledge of the original inhabitants."

"Uncle…"

But Katharina's voice sank when the voice of the chef woman heard again, "What do you mean by the original inhabitants? Do you think I'm a ghost?"

Abelard sighed, "I'm sorry for the incorrect use of the sentence, Miss Lilli. But you have become a resident of this place."

"It's all right, Katharina. Miss Lilli did not mean any harm, she has a high temperament." There was an annoyed grunt towards the chef woman but Abelard ignored him. "I will come once a week to visit you."

As soon as Katharina did not hide behind Abelard, her eyes sparkled like moonlight, she said hopefully, "Together with Aunt Maude, right?"

"I can't be sure that Miss Maude will come with me later, she has a busy schedule and busyness at Wall Sina." The light in Katharina's eyes dimmed like a bulb that lost power, "But, I'll make sure she will send you a letter."

Katharina just nodded, maybe a little disappointed.

A sigh of breath sounded from his own, feeling the responsibility to take Katharina to safety was complete. But there are still many tasks out there and it is more dangerous than taking King Uri's only child to the Survey Corps's base.

Once again, Abelard muttered words of encouragement to the little girl to arouse her enthusiasm, perhaps to arouse his enthusiasm as well. However, escorting an original successor is not easy. Especially when Katharina's life was in danger caused by the Reiss family themselves.

The plain eyes of the girl in front of him could read that Katharina knew nothing, at least 'not yet'.

He patted Katharina's head gently, "Do something good so that your existence can be recognized by people."

Katharina's eyes only responded with a light of obedience. Katharina might not yet know the meaning of those words, but he was sure that Katharina would understand when she was growing up.

"Hn! I will do good and study to become a doctor like Aunt Maude!" Her innocent grin showed, making her eyes reflexively narrowed.

It felt strange to leave this girl alone at the Survey Corps base, especially with so many boys no less than her age. In his mind, there must be a man who has bad intentions for a little girl, let alone see Katharina has grayish black hair and cute eyes.

It seems like he's daydreaming too much about things that don't make sense lately.

After the steward fed and rested the animal for several hours, he returned to Wall Sina. The peeling and moldy gray wall began to disappear behind him. During his time serving King Uri, it was only twice since he set foot on Wall Rose, let alone visiting the Survey Corps base there.

Their headquarters is indeed vast, there are several tall buildings that are used as scouts to keep watch if there are suspicious movements on each side.

There was a little fight when he gave a message to Commander Shadis about Katharina. To be honest, the cruel-looking man seemed reluctant to accommodate the little girls at their headquarters without guarantees such as delivery of groceries as payment for rent during Katharina's stay there.

King Uri had told him before he died and was eaten by his own nephew.

"Don't tell anyone the real origin of Katharina. They will hunt her down if that happens." That's what he said last time before looking at the lake in front of him for a long time.

That girl's life is really a pity.

The Beichlers are gone.

If that girl marries (or maybe she will die young), then her last name will be changed and follows her husband's last name.

The story of the Beichler Family extinction is very long. He doesn't even remember too much how they were all killed in their own homes. Merle Beichler's cousins disappeared and were not found anymore, there were rumors that they were taken to Underground City. The place was dark and gloomy, located underground. All that was left of their house was the corpses of both husband and wife, slashed to their neck.

Because it was too dark, Abelard dared not tell Katharina about it. The girl's brain must be filled with something more pleasant first, when darkness creeps up to that girl, then she will get it herself without the help of others.

Abelard drove his wooden carriage through the road, the wind seemed to blow his black hair. Blue sky with thin white clouds hanging. Today's air feels clean, and shade trees also block indirectly in the sun.

As if the world feels the calm in his heart.


	3. Chapter 2 : The Childhood II

After Uncle Abelard left her four days ago, Katharina felt quite alone in a new place.

This place is not the same as in the city or in their homes in the hills. It is true that each room is occupied by at most five people, but none of them are the same age as Katharina. On average they were taller and older than her, she began to think maybe she was the only seven-year-old children in that place?

The first day after Uncle Abelard left, she was ushered into a small empty room at the end of the cadet's dormitory building. It was a room that was more like a broom warehouse that was not maintained. Many spider webs and small insects came out in a hurry when Aunt Lilli opened the door of the room. She had already started calling the chef woman as Aunty because Aunt Maude taught her that.

"You can clean it yourself, can't you?"

Katharina looked up, staring at Aunt Lilli's face seriously. Then nodded. "Hn!"

A sigh sounded, "Very well, I can't help you right now. Lunch time is only a few minutes, I have to take care of something in the kitchen. If you're done, rest a few minutes and help me in the kitchen."

Katharina nodded again, "Hn!"

Aunt Lilli's back turned toward her, intending to leave the room immediately, before finally turning around again.

"You know where the kitchen is, don't you?" Aunt Lilli's soft voice rang out, reminding her of Aunt Maude for a moment. She reflexively smiled and showed her teeth.

"Hn!"

After that the back was not seen again and disappeared behind the door.

If it can say, the room does look like a warehouse or a room that has long been abandoned. There was a window next to the mattress, covered with dust, maybe mites were also lodged in the pillowcases. Initially, Katharina opened the window first, letting dust fly by as the window door opened to the outside of the room, the air that was initially stuffy and smelled strange began to be replaced with new air. Confused where to start cleaning, Katharina looked around with a confused expression, then the choice fell on the bed in the corner there.

After brushing aside all the dust stuck to the pillows, blankets and mattresses, Katharina took out a limp blanket and pillow to be replaced with new ones. There was no way she could use items that had been left behind for years. Feeling the mattress was clean from dust and small insects, Katharina ran to borrow a broom in the storage room, making a cadet slightly wrinkled when he saw a little girl running hurriedly and carrying a broom higher than her.

The floor was cleaned, swept first before finally being mopped with water and a little soap he borrowed in the kitchen. After the floor felt clean, she waited on the bed, raising her feet to avoid touching the stone tiles.

The cupboard next to the door is still waiting to be cleaned. Surely a lot of insects were occupying the cupboard, or maybe just a cobweb. Her hands were clenched as she held the broom algae, stretched out to open the wooden cupboard in front of her. This situation reminded her of that time at their home. At that time Aunt Maude was cleaning under the house, a lot of wild plants that began to spread on the poles supporting the bottom of the house. As the scythe in her hand swayed, the sound of a four-legged animal's squeaking sounded, making her scream in surprise and worry. A mole was what Aunt Maude usually faced, but that was the first day she faced a mole.

She no longer wants to meet with animals called mice. But this time is different, if she doesn't clean the wardrobe immediately, then no one will want to clean it for her. With broom algae, she opened the cupboard, a squeak of hinges could be heard. It's too much so that this cupboard is opened again by a new owner.

Nothing strange at first, all just a collection of spider webs that do not have owners. But when the other cupboard door opened accidentally, Katharina froze. What she feared happened, about five groups of rodents were staring silently with their red eyes. They seemed speechless before finally Katharina's voice made the five rats run helter-skelter, trying to race out first with their tiny legs.

The broom in Katharina's hand fell, left when Katharina was still screaming hysterically and ran out of the room. She ran down the long hall of the building, as if the five mice were chasing her and would eat her legs if she stopped.

The hallway is long, and ends when white light seeps in the retina of her eyes. Not having time to pay attention to the surroundings, she was sure she was in the kitchen because the scent of fresh bread and soup began to smell in her nostrils as her soft feet crossed the stone floor. That place isn't just filled with delicious cooking aroma. But all the cadets sat there, staring at her sweaty body. She felt smaller when a confused look was thrown at her.

There were murmurs of words that she could not hear from her place. Immediately maybe her eyes were wildly searching where Aunt Lilli was and wanted to complain about the five rats that had followed her behind.

There was a strange silence that spread in the room, making it awkward to walk across several tables that were already occupied. Aunt Maude's cooking place was at the far end, only a few meters to arrive.

Her head looked down, trying hard to ignore the strange stares from every angle. Until finally stopped when the body as hard as concrete hit it. Not. She crashed into the body.

The horror struck the girl more and more, the body of that person was taller than even Uncle Abelard's height. His blonde hair was split in half right in the middle, his eyes were slightly narrowed and his nose was sniffing at something Katharina didn't know.

'_D-do I smell bad? Why is h-he sniffing?'_

Once again, the man in front of her sniffed even closer and made Katharina's voice sound like a mouse being trapped in a closet.

"Oh Mike! Stop frightening her with your strange activities!" A woman's voice.

Katharina glanced a little from the corner of her eye, though her feet still took a few steps back. The man in front of her backed away, smiling after that. "Hmm..."

A frown on Katharina's own face, she was not good at hiding emotions, especially in a crowded situation like this. She was very sure her face had turned red unnaturally, especially when the woman who admonished her smiled sweetly at Katharina. The woman's hair was tied, and the glasses were tied to the bridge of the nose. At first glance her smile looked sweet, but after that Katharina could not describe better what kind of smile it was.

She was still stunned by the insolent behavior of a man named Mike a few minutes ago. The woman in front of her ruffled her hair gently, until her eyes widened in surprise. "Forgive him, yeah? He has a strange habit of sniffing new people."

"I-I..."

"You're so cute after all! I really want to pinch your cheek!" Katharina's expression was a mixture of surprise and fear. Katharina thanked her as a courtesy, since they were certainly older than a dozen or decades older than her. Now Katharina just wants to see Aunt Lilli immediately.

"You want pie?" The woman offered, making her widen again.

Her mouth formed a sentence, "Pie?"

"I know you must be hungry. There is no rejection, brat."

After that, she felt floated when the woman pulled her hand with full enthusiasm, looking very cheerful of her other friends. Even so, she was indeed hungry. Concerns and fears and awkwardly slowly left her face, replaced by the innocence of small children.

The table was long, almost at the end, and was supposed to contain six people. Katharina glanced at those who did not pay attention to new arrivals. Thankfully. At least they don't need to make the atmosphere awkward like the first time she entered the kitchen.

She sat next to the woman, there was bread in a fruit basket, then two fruit pies and a rare meat pie. To be honest she was used to eating meat, and when two weeks she didn't eat meat anymore, like something was missing on her dinner menu.

Katharina recalled what Uncle Abelard had said a week before they went to Wall Rose.

_"It's no wonder people say meat is so rare, the limited area of __the hunt makes it happen. With the increasing number of people growing inside the walls, the price of foodstuffs is scarce and results in a soaring selling price."_

She was daydreaming again.

"...Don't finish the pie, Moblit." Katharina turned to the person. His mouth was full and almost choked when she cast a confused look at him. "And you will kill yourself for eating too much."

"S-sorry, Hanji-san!" He said in a high voice. Either maybe the man in front of her was afraid of her for some reason or whatever Katharina didn't understand. But he complied, keeping half the pie that had not been eaten and directed at Katharina. The man's smile was sincere despite the obvious worries posted there.

"Oh well, what's your name?" The woman beside her asked, offering a friendly smile and supporting her chin attentively which was definitely aimed at Katharina. There was an interest in the woman's eyes, something that was good. Or bad.

She had never introduced her own name to anyone else. When someone asks who Aunt Maude brought with her or Uncle Abelard brought with him, they will say her name. As for her, she would hide behind that two person .

"Ahhh ..." Katharina turned to her, brow furrowed deeply. While her hands were sweaty, trying to brush off the sweat on the fabric of her skirt. The pie in front of her is still halfway, like before. She did not touch it, even though her stomach was ringing and asked for something.

"Hanji-san. She seems like... a mute." Murmured the man in front of her, just as she turned toward the man.

"I-I I'm not a mute!"

For a moment there was silence that struck, before finally the laughter of the woman beside her was heard. "Of course you don't! Moblit, you really are a genius to provoke her to talk!"

Katharina swore there was a red hue running down the cheeks of the man in front of her, including her.

"Do you want Pai?" The woman named Hanji offered again, making Katharina nod involuntarily. "Eat, brat."

Without thinking, she reached for the pie in front of her and accepted the offer of a man named Moblit for a spoon. The pie is an apple pie, some apple slices seem to have been eaten by Moblit and some people beside them. Not wanting to keep people's eyes on her, she devoured the pie.

_Gosh._

She had never been this hungry before. Aunt Maude would make her food before her stomach growled, and if Aunt Maude was late making food, then she would just boil sweet potatoes. It seems like living in a remote place is more fun than in a place like this.

"Oh hohoo~ You see that, Moblit? Her cheeks swelled like squirrels! Can I pinch it for a minute?"

She quickly fell into worry again, Katharina had not had time to swallow the food in her mouth. The spoon is still inside the swollen mouth, but the desire to escape after this is even greater. She prefers to find the five rats and play a chase game in the hallway.

"Eh? Take it easy, brat! I'm not really going to pinch you, for now." Said the woman with enthusiasm. "So, can we find out your name now?"

She was nervous, her eyes hovering over everyone seated in a circle around the table. There is a man who looks very respected, who knows what a suitable name to give him a title. Then, next to the man who sits with authority there is a sniffing man, then in front of the sniffing man there is a woman with stature that can be said to be a man but that face is a woman.

Katharina lowered her eyes to the chest of the woman on the other side. Usually there will be something that stands out like women in general, she is sure her chest will enlarge like other women when she's an adult.

Nothing stands out there.

Her forehead wrinkled. Maybe that person is a man? She involuntarily shrugged her shoulders.

"It's not polite to look at someone else's chest like that, girl. If you ask what the gender is, I will tell you." Her face turned red, the smile of the woman next to her widened unnaturally. "But after you told your name!"

Only the 'Tch.' tone came from the person, turning back to another place with a bored face. Wonder what Katharina had done, she felt ashamed. She shouldn't be openly staring at an area like that!

She tried to open her mouth, speaking nervously. "K-Katharina Beichler." She swallowed saliva, "T-that's my name, Hanji-san."

"AAAAAKH! YOU KNOW MY NAME!?" Maybe people around Katharina are used to hearing the woman's voice and letting her cheer. Not finished with the shock that struck her suddenly, with a flash of her body floating in the air. Hanji-san's hands hugged her until her tiny body lifted in the air. There was no time to scream or open her eyes. She fell back to her desk.

"Hanji-san! She can get hurt, Hanji-san!" There was a sound, it was Moblit who reflexively stood up from his chair and walked to Katharina's chair. His eyes examined something in her body, making sure nothing was turning blue. "Are you all right, Katharina?"

"Eh?"

Realizing her reverie, Katharina nodded smoothly. "Hn."

"That crazy person ..." Katharina's ears were sharp enough to hear the grunt of a man named Mike.

"Umm... wait..." Now it's not Hanji-san who is talking, Hanji-san still can't control her happiness which is strange in Katharina's eyes. Now the man next to the Sniffing Man is speaking. Men with yellow blond hair with an authoritative face. Katharina watched him quietly, only muttering to himself as his eyes moved to read a piece of paper in his hand.

However Katharina was a woman, she knew she was seven years old. But there is a very strong appeal to respect the man in front of her. She did not know why that could happen, this was her first experience meeting people like this.

She turned her full attention to the man. There was no smile on his face, even though it was still somewhat friendly. "Beichler, yeah?"

_Dug._

Why her heart beat fast when her last name was mentioned in a tone that Katharina could not say. She certainly never thought too deeply about her last name and looked for the remains of her family anywhere. But this...

"Eh... that's right." Hanji-san seemed to have finished with her euphoria, now focusing on the same thing. Katharina glanced at her briefly before the authoritative man took over her attention again.

"I thought Beichler was already―"

"Hanji." The voice was very authoritative, sounding like a command in Katharina's ear. "Are you done with the Titan information you planned last week?"

The topic changed suddenly, wrinkling his forehead. Hanji-san cheerfully nodded, "Don't worry about that, Erwin. I've arranged it well. When can I submit it?"

"As soon as possible, I think." Said the man named Erwin.

Transferring the topic made her trapped in topics that sounded interesting.

Titan? She had never seen Titan directly. But the people around her have seen them, even they are fighting directly against the Titans for the survival of humanity, to protect children like her who want to continue the dream inside the wall. Her eyes widened when Moblit explained directly about life outside the walls. She didn't ask, even though she needed that information to fulfill all the thirst that had nested while he was still on Wall Sina.

"Katharina ..." Katharina turned to Erwin's authoritative face. "I'm glad you want to stay in this place." Katharina didn't understand what he was saying, but she kept nodding and for the first time smiled a little.

"Ah! I almost forgot my promise, yeah? Sorry, Katharina!" Hanji-san said, massaging her nose bone in a strange style. "Introduce, this is Hanaba. She's a woman." She continued in a whispering style at the end of the sentence.

She chuckled, before quickly disappearing when the woman beside Hanji-san turned her head sharply. Her head immediately bowed, "Ahh i-that ... I'm sorry, Hanaba! I-I didn't mean to―"

"Hm. Forget it."

For a moment, her face frowned slightly. Hanaba is similar to Aunt Maude but in a boring version. There were not many expressions that Katharina could catch from the woman, only the occasional forehead wrinkled and another boring expression.

"I think it's all over, Katharina?"

Now all her attention was on the sound behind her back. She turned slowly, knowing who was there. The spatula looked like a weapon to Aunt Lilli, the weapon used to kill Titan. She didn't want to chuckle and was labeled disrespectful to older people, moreover she was still very new to those people. Her eyes did not dare look directly at the figure in front of her. But other people seem to do things differently.

Especially Hanji-san.

"Don't disturb our conversation just yet, Lilli." There was another intensity creeping in Katharina's back. "You know that's very rude, right?"

The mob cleared their throat and Hanaba said goodbye to go rest in her room. Mike sniffed unnaturally, but Erwin took it all in a casual manner. As usual.

The atmosphere there was very awkward, whether there was a problem before Hanji-san and Lilli. Katharina didn't dare to find out. Some cadets had left before this awkward situation, but some still enjoyed their lunches quietly and occasionally stole glances.

Hanji-san's voice isn't loud, but it can't she's whispering too.

"Hanji." Erwin said, clearing up the atmosphere accidentally. "I think your report must be sent at this time to my office. I'll wait there after your business is over. I think Commander Shadis also needs it, so make a copy."

Hanji-san still had the respect not to ignore Erwin, she turned to the man and nodded seriously. Erwin left after that, leaving a coffee cup that only had half left. Even Katharina forgot the whereabouts of Moblit who was still sitting tall in his chair.

"Ara ~ ara ~ I guess I have a job now. Moblit! let's move before your body is rigid and paralyzed in this place." Hanji-san ordered, before stretching her entire body.

Looks like Katharina will be lonely again.

"Don't be sad, Katharina. If you want to meet me and _some _of my friends, just come to my room across the building. How about this offer?" Katharina quickly nodded and agreed to Hanji-san's offer.

"Well, we better hurry."

That way, Hanji-san walked away followed by Moblit beside her, there was a conversation there but Katharina couldn't hear it because their distance was getting further away. Their backs are no longer visible when the walls are dull yellowish becomes a barrier. Now she is alone again with Aunt Lilli who is still faithfully waiting for her awareness.

"Have you finished cleaning your room?"

She nodded. "Actually, it's just a cupboard. But there were mice, so I, ekhem, I ran away."

"You're afraid of rats, yeah?" Katharina nodded again. "OK. I'll help you clean the cupboard after this. You have eaten?"

The taste of apple pie was still sticking to her tongue, making her want to eat the food again, but she just nodded.

"Then, help me to collect the plates that are still on the table. Sometimes the cadets can't deliver their utensils, maybe their hands are paralyzed." The sarcastic sounded annoyed. On the table is Hanji-san's plate and several people who had gathered at one table. Hanaba seemed to have the initiative to bring her own plate to the kitchen.

After helping Aunt Lilli in the large dining room, Aunt Lilli responded by cleaning the cupboard filled with cobwebs and several wood fibers due to termite bites. There is a surefire way to get rid of termites, by putting kerosene in their nests, although there is a sense of pity when the termites try to run in all directions. But if they don't do this, then the clothes will be eaten by the insects.

Over time, it doesn't feel like tomorrow is the fifth day Uncle Abelard left her there. She also gets closer to Hanji-san, when on the second day after their meeting, she meets with Moblit who greets her at the dining area. Telling her that Hanji-san was at her favorite forbidden place, and Katharina was forbidden to go see what that place was like.

The third day, she helped a cadet feed horses in the morning, waking up at six in the morning had become her habit. So when she woke up early in this place, all she found was a cadet with five buckets of food beside him. The cadet's name was Egon Freundlich. Katharina didn't really know how to write his last name correctly. But what Katharina knew, Egon was a good man and quite cheerful.

The fourth day happened today, all activities as usual. In the morning feeding the horses with Egon, after that wash their clothes and dry them in the place where cadets always dry their clothes. It was a fairly wide field with a clothesline pole plastered from there to here. During the day she would help Aunt Lilli cook, she was only tasked with cutting vegetables with several woman cadets. In the afternoon, take clothespins and fold them neatly. Not many things she does in the afternoon. Then at night it's dinner time and help Aunt Lilli again.

Her hair was long to over her shoulder. And just now she asked for help Moblit who is not working to help cut her hair to hang above her shoulder. When he cut her hair, her perception drifted toward Aunt Maude who must be remembering Katharina now too. As Aunt Maude promised her, that if Katharina kept her hair short, Aunt Maude would come visit her.

The shadow of the Moblit moving with silver scissors in his hand was seen on the green grass just below the shady tree. The afternoon sun made the reflection of the Moblit shadow on the ground, the color of the light reddish yellow. Immersed on the west side of a tall building used as a marcusuar Survey Corps. The wind occasionally brushed her reddish cheeks, and her hands interlocked with each other on her lap. Katharina did not move when Moblit dropped a few strands of her gray hair.

Katharina really enjoyed the fading sunlight on her face, the scent of the forest deeper. A single strand of hair fell to the ground. Some cadets conversations who were practicing on the main page close to where they sounded faint.

When Moblit finished his work, he gave the girl a satisfied smile. Satisfied with his hidden talent.

"Yeah, well. Not bad." said Moblit, panting. Pack the scissors in his hand and turn towards Katharina again. "If I don't become a member of Survey Corps, maybe this is what I will do later and earn money."

Katharina's hand reached for her own mane. Feel how short Moblit cuts her hair. And that's not too bad.

She gave a big smile at Moblit, "Thank you, Moblit! Aunt Maude will remember me again!"

There was a concerned smile there that Katharina didn't realize, before finally Moblit's wide hand touched the top of her head and patted it softly.

"Yup! I'm sure your Aunt Maude will remember you again. So, keep your hair short, okay?" Katharina nodded excitedly.

"Um ... but, am I really not allowed to go to Hanji-san's place right now?" Katharina asked, stare.

"You can't, Rina. You have been warned beforehand."

Katharina's smile faded. "Hn."

Moblit seems to have followed Hanji-san's habit of calling him 'Rina'. Hanji-san said the name 'Katharina' was too long and she shortened it to make it easier. Katharina doesn't mind that.

After saying goodbye to Moblit, she returned inside. There is no other way to ask Moblit for approval and bring Katharina to see Hanji-san's activities. Moblit will not be tempted by the lure of extra food or bento that Katharina can prepare, no. Moblit is not a child. Gosh! He is a man, Katharina!

Her heart felt warm even though she was still a little sad because she was still not allowed to go to follow Hanji-san in their 'secret place'.

And by the way, she never felt this comfortable when her hair was short.

* * *

Thank you for reviewing this story!

I really appreciate all the comments, and make me excited to continue this fanfiction.

English is not my native language, sorry for spelling mistakes! Gomennasai! ~

but I like you guys correcting it! Arigatou! ^ w ^


	4. Chapter 3 : The Sadness

**845****th**** Year.**

* * *

"WALL MARIA BREAKED!"

The news anchor came panting as the cadets sat in the canteen, sweat breaking through his uniform symbolizing two blooming red roses. His facial expression could not be read, so pale that his legs trembled and finally sat down.

"What did you say!?" shouted one of the cadets who were already standing, ignoring a piece of bread on his plate.

The newsboy's lips throbbed for a moment, "The rest of the Survey Corps explorers are still in Shinganshina and help the Stationary Guard evacuate the residents!"

"COMMANDER SHADIS... HE IS ORDERING SURVEY CORPS TO NOT COME DOWN AND HELP."

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? HOW CAN WE SUT SILENT AND EAT WHEN WALL MARIA IS BREAKED!?"

The man shook his head, insisting on orders. "This is a direct order. There's no ... there's no point in killing Titan right now, even the Survey Corps chose to retreat and let Titan take control of Shinganshina." His voice broke, his eyes turning red as if holding back tears.

"Two Titans are no ordinary Titan! They're very strong, even one of them used to penetrate Wall Maria with just one body blow!"

Nobody spoke, they were all afraid, afraid that the situation that was truly feared would happen. Wall Maria has been pierced. For thousands of years, Titan never managed to penetrate Wall Maria. And now there are members of the Stationary Guard informing them that the thick and tall walls have been successfully broken. As if waking up from a nightmare and facing that nightmare in reality.

Even they still doubt that Rivaille, who was recently crowned Humanity's Strongest Soldier, can kill all of the titans with the addition of two mighty titans in front of them.

"...Then, what should we do? We can't stay like this."

"Commander Shadis recently relinquished his post in front of everyone." Opened the man in surprise. Make each cadet's eyes widen in disbelief. "He announced it the day before today. B-but ... that doesn't mean you should ignore the order! This is arguably the last command of Commander Shadis."

"Where are the remaining residents evacuated?"

One of the female cadets asked, her voice full of concern.

"Ships to evacuate residents are not able to accommodate all. In fact... some children were left behind," answered the news bearer.

"YOU MEAN THEY ARE LET THEM BE THE TITAN FOOD!?"

Even the man did not dare to look at the people in the canteen, he was too scared, coward to shout '_WELL, THEY WILL BECOME FOOD TITANS TO HUMAN LIFE NOT END UP TO HERE!_'.

Meanwhile, from behind the kitchen wall, the link between the dining and cooking area was seen Katharina staring with full attention in front of her. Especially to the information bearer who is now sitting helpless on the floor. All his clothes were covered in blood and black mud, and even his face looked worn out from endless riding.

It is undeniable that her fear of Titan is getting thicker. Especially thinking about Hanji-san and Moblit who were still out there together with Commander Shadis. The closeness that exists between the three of them is like siblings, since Katharina also has no siblings, so she considers Moblit like her older brother and Hanji-san more like a teacher.

Her birthday was celebrated two months ago, with Moblit of course and Uncle Abelard, also with Aunt Lilli. Now she's ten years old, time flies so fast.

But during the celebration, there was no Aunt Maude.

The last time she saw Aunt Maude during their breakup three years ago on the hill. That was the last time she saw Aunt Maude. Even once every two months after her hair was long again, she would ask Moblit to help cut her hair. Aunt Maude never came, and for three years Katharina always assured her that Aunt Maude would definitely come when she wasn't busy. Maybe Aunt Maude was too busy with her well-developed, well-known natural medicine store on Wall Sina.

Or maybe Aunt Maude had forgotten about her and chosen to start a new, freer life without thinking about her?

Jeez. That thought again!

And by the way Uncle Abelard reduced the number of visits, the last two years Uncle Abelard only visited her once a month. Even so, she didn't feel lonely anymore considering there was Moblit who always took her for a walk in the market and looked for medicinal ingredients in the forest, or Hanji-san who would take her to her office. Katharina will help clean up all the scattered books or occasionally read something interesting. Her dream of becoming a doctor like Aunt Maude was never time-consuming. And she meant it.

The doctor is very rarely found in Wall Rose, due to the lack of buildings and settlements. So, armed with a little knowledge that Katharina got from Aunt Maude, little by little she tried to practice the healing on a squirrel that she accidentally found limp due to the convolution of a tree caterpillar. With the help of Moblit, she managed to bring the squirrel to her room and perform a kind of mild healing on sprained legs.

That is not easy. Either worried because Katharina didn't come out of her room until lunch, Aunt Lilli approached her room and found Katharina struggling with a long cloth bandage wrapped around her tiny hands. An innocent grin was displayed on Katharina's face and only made Aunt Lilli shake her head.

Finally, Katharina surrendered, bringing the squirrel to Hanji-san's office. Ask the woman's help to help a squirrel.

"Ara ~ Ara ~ it's better to give the squirrels to the people in the kitchen, Rina! They will make your fist more useful!" Katharina's eyes widened, before finally walking back slowly, opening the door and exiting Hanji-san's office as soon as possible before the squirrel in her hand became a boiled squirrel.

Her head shook involuntarily, erasing the memory for a moment when Aunt Lilli who also had a pale face reprimanded her to continue washing her dishes. Her mind could not stay away from Moblit and Hanji-san at this time, sure they would be fine considering they were under the command of Erwin Smith.

"Hey ... you're not focused, I know that."

Aunt Lilli's voice sounded like a whisper, she almost dropped the plate in her hand so out of focus. Once again she shook her head, continuing her activities. There are only six plates left so the work will be finished.

But these feelings of anxiety he could not avoid with a single blow. She was too weak not to think of those closest to her, even for the past three years she had still thought of Aunt Maude who had ignored her. This is her weakness. She was too weak that she could not control the panic that was raging.

"Captain Erwin never brought a corpse on his team." Aunt Lilli continued calmly, sounding confident. "The people inside the Erwin Squad are tough people. Even I witnessed their resilience at that time."

_Is it true?_

But, can't even the strongest people die when God has determined their death? Katharina didn't ask, she busied herself to get rid of all her worries. Maybe Aunt Lilli is panicking too?

The clink of the meeting between an iron spoon and a wooden plate echoed in the small room, she hated it when her skirt was always wet when washing dishes.

Everything in this dining room was new cadets, they had only been through the trainees for a few months, all were new faces whom Katharina did not really know. Egon also went to explore Beyond the Wall. Katharina hoped the man was all right. Since they had spent three years in the stables each morning, she also felt that they were close enough even though there wasn't much Katharina knew about Egon. What she knew was that Egon was from the Quinta District west of the Wall Maria.

"Katharina?"

Katharina turned her head, staring at Aunt Lilli who had been talking. Not too focused on what was delivered by Aunt Lilli. "Do you need some rest?"

"Eh? I―I ... no need! I'm just, a little daydreaming."

Aunt Lilli gave a tired grunt, dropping her buttocks into one of the small chairs near Katharina. "This must really traumatize you, right? Thinking of the people you care about becomes a titan meal, not an easy matter. I know how you feel right now. Because I was once in your position, but it's worse."

Never before had Katharina seen such a sad expression on Aunt Lilli's face. Or maybe he who always has no chance to pay more attention? But today, Aunt Lilli looks more than sad. There were emotions that Aunt Lilli couldn't get out of her heart and mind. That wave also affected Katharina somehow.

Aunt Lilli's face had somehow turned red, tears welling up there. "Before I worked as a cook in this place, I was previously a member of Survey Corps."

Katharina's eyes widened.

"Erwin recruited me as one of the Squad members along with Hanji and Mike. I'm too cowardly to stick with tough members like them, Hanji has a brain, Mike has strength and Erwin has strong leadership. I'm just a complementary member, nothing special."

Katharina was silent. "At that time I went on a tour of Beyond the Wall, searching for the end of this world, was it really that we were the only ones left? Half of the Survey Corps members were eaten by the Titans. Even my siblings who just debuted in Survey Corps must be a victim. There is no time to pick up the body, said Erwin. But I insist I don't want to leave the body in the clearing."

"T-they left the body?" Her voice was nervous.

"I did not let that happen. When I stopped to take the body of my brother, Titan stormed from the forest, running to me as if I were giving out free food. Five people died because of my selfishness, and stupidly I survived." Katharina glanced out of the corner of her eye, Aunt Lilli, whom she knew was tough, could even cry.

What would happen if she was in Aunt Lilli's position? Will she be this strong? Or... "A week after we arrived at headquarters, I resigned from Survey Corps and chose to become a cook for the members and cadets."

"Katharina ..."

She turned her head again, staring at Aunt Lilli's clear blue eyes like a sky without clouds. Katharina did not know when their hands were in her lap.

"Promise not to become a member of Survey Corps. I don't want the same thing to happen again, even if I don't see it in person. You remind me of my brother, even his nature is similar. I just want you to be saved from the titans, there are still many who love you. Yeah?"

She did not want to become a member of Survey Corps. Really. Even if she is paid even though she is paid a lot, she is not a person who has a formidable physique like Moblit and high intellectual intelligence like Hanji-san. She was just a little girl who wanted to be a doctor like Aunt Maude, she wanted to treat people who had risked their lives for the survival of humanity in the walls. She wants to be useful even if she doesn't enter Survey Corps.

And she will make sure that happens.

"Aunt Lilli... thank you." She said smiling, before finally Aunt Lilli embraced her body without warning. This warmth reminded her of their home on the hill, reminding her of the hug of Aunt Maude who chased away the cold when in a jungle hut.

Her eyes were closed, even she didn't care anymore with her wet pink skirt. "I'm glad you told me all that, you already believe me. I thought you still doubted me by not telling me something valuable like that." Her hug was getting tighter. "I am happy! Thank you, Aunty!"

"Promise first."

Didn't wait long until he linked his little finger to Aunt Lilli's little finger. Even Aunt Lilli smiled even though there was still something in her eyes, something cloudy.

"But, you cleaned Rivaille's room, didn't you?"

Instantly all that happiness faded, replaced by an uncomfortable fear in her heart. Rivaille ordered it before they went on an expedition. Still ringing in her ears the tone of the man, even those eyes...

_"There is no dust."_

Stare...

_"A little."_

Stare...

_"Brat."_

Stare...

This year she could not live in peace when a new Survey Corps member was brought by Mike and Erwin. Last year, Rivaille came with two of its members, not too familiar with Katharina. It's just that she knows the names of the two members are Isabel and Farlan. When they first explored Beyond the Wall, only Rivaille returned from the third. The look on his face is still as usual, without emotion. As if looking at this world there is no price.

According to the story she heard from Moblit when they had dinner, Rivaille and his two friends were from Underground City. Katharina didn't know where Underground City was before Moblit explained patiently like an older brother. She listened to the story until the end, she even looked at the floor after the story was told.

"Apparently there is life down there."

In this year too, Katharina noticed how Rivaille's behavior was anti-social. He rarely mingles and talks with other members, even at meal time Rivaille will come late or sooner. When resting too, Rivaille chose a table in the corner with a cup of coffee in his hand, it was also strange to remember how the man held his cup.

_"Oi. Stop thinking about me, brat. "_

Suddenly the voice rang again in her head. In a hurry Katharina shook her head, dismissing all the emotionless sounds of Rivaille. Aunt Lilli might have glanced at her worriedly, hurriedly finished her dishes and then said goodbye to Aunt Lilli who only responded to a nod.

Rivaille's gaze was very sharp, although it looked glazed but his black eyes were intimidating. Somehow a small man like him can look very intimidating. Katharina had found Moblit not daring to say anything when he just stood still on the ground, crossing his arms across his chest and staring at Moblit like a statue.

Her footsteps echoed in the hallway. The Rivaille Room is right in front of Moblit's room so that when she comes to visit Moblit and asks the man to take her to Hanji-san's place, they will often meet.

Without thinking, Katharina turned the door algae until the creaking sound of a rusty hinge. Unlike the rooms of the other cadets, the Rivaille room is very neat and clean. Although there is a little dust on the floor, but overall like nothing needs to be cleaned. There is a set of tables and chairs in the corner near the window, a bed with pillows and blankets folded neatly, also a wardrobe.

Rivaille's words rang again in his head, like orders.

_"First clean the dust on my bed. I don't want to sleep with mites."_

Relying on her apron, nose covering and white cloth covering her hair, she was like Rivaille on a clean day. "Yes, sir!"

The mattress was cleaned, until small dust flew. Slightly made her cough and squint. Katharina swiftly opened the window of the Rivaille room, took out a pillowcase and patted it outside. Just realized that this room is on the second floor.

The second command comes.

_"Already completed? Clean the bathroom. Don't forget to use a handkerchief."_

Her feet stepped faster, a pair of handkerchiefs already installed properly in her hands. Cleaning the bathroom is not easy, especially when the bathroom has lots of cockroaches or funny little animals. However, for the past three years she had been used to cleaning almost every room in headquarters. Except for Erwin Smith's room. So, there is no time to complain of disgust, since the Rivaille bathroom is quite clean.

Gosh, what does this man use to keep his bathroom clean?

After brushing cleanly and pouring some stinging cleaning fluid, firmly convinced that the stinging liquid that had just been poured into the pit of hell was one of Rivaille's effective ingredients, Katharina took a short break. Do sweat that falls like rain in summer.

The third command comes.

_"Don't be lazy, brat. Your job to wash blankets is not finished yet."_

Although only her imagination, Katharina did not dare to argue. Quickly, she stood up abruptly, almost a bit shaky as blood flowed to her head. Now is not the time to be lazy, she pauses to let the blood flow smoothly. After finishing, the Rivaille blanket was washed in the kitchen, using the additional fragrance that was obtained in Hanji-san's room. Either the deodorizer is indeed a fabric or something.

The important thing is fragrance.

The backyard was quiet, no one came out as usual. Maybe because it's still in shock with the news this morning. Even the clouds were a little cloudy, hesitantly climbing in to Katharina's heart. She looked at the sky once more, narrowed as the faint sunlight peered out from behind the black clouds.

"Eh? Three years after leaving the hill, I forgot my natural activities. Even I doubt now whether it will rain or not." Murmured.

The blanket is white, without patches and smells good now. The cadets' clothesline has been taken, it seems because the weather looks cloudy. A gust of wind blew from the east, flattened her shoulder-length hair and closed her eyesight. The blanket in front of him also flew like cotton, if Katharina did not pinch it with wood, then she would be a Rivaille's victim.

Even though it was cloudy, it felt like she could see this wind carrying black clouds that hung on the horizon to the west. Proved when the sunlight during the day peeked a little every time the black clouds pass by.

"Are you sure you still want to hang a blanket in inconspicuous weather like this?"

The sound behind surprised her, she almost threw the person a stone, if there was one. Certainly it's a female voice. Katharina turned to find a girl who was definitely older than her. The girl's hair was short as hers but with a beautiful pink color, the eyes were shady and friendly.

"Ah ... I'm Petra Ral. The new cadet two months ago. Nice to meet ya …"

"Katharina, nice to meet you, Petra."

The girl smiled soothingly, is she a goddess?

Now the girl stepped closer, walked leisurely while watching the surroundings like watching the weather. Her face is so calm, but friendly. Katharina didn't even look away when she was about to speak again.

"I don't like the appearance of the sky there. You too?"

Katharina turned once more to the doubtful sky. She nodded weakly. "Black clouds are still hanging, I think they will leave soon."

The wind once again blew their hair, creating a comfortable silence. Blankets fly like flags. "You sound like a weather forecaster, Katharina."

"I-I ... just guess it!" Her face turned red, without thinking she covered it with her hands cupped against her cheeks. "My aunt is good at weather forecasting."

"Ahhh really? Wow, I would love to meet her if I have the chance!"

The sentence silenced Katharina, a tightness in her lungs. She looked away at the grass beside her feet, said quietly. "I haven't seen her in the last three years."

Although she did not pay attention to the look on the face of the girl named Petra in front of her, she was sure the girl was concerned. They were silent for a few seconds, the atmosphere was awkward until Petra sighed and stretched her body.

"Yes. The weather can't be easily predicted." Petra said, "But you should keep your eye on the sky, it's quite doubtful today. You don't want to make the owner of the blanket angry, do you?"

Katharina hurriedly shook her head.

Her mind quickly imagined what it would be like if Rivaille was angry at her for the wet blanket. Seeing that man stays calm with his face without emotion alone makes her hair goose bumps, especially if she is angry. Uh ... but she had never seen Rivaille angry, when there was a cadet who acted then his attitude remained mediocre.

"... but his words are piercing ..." without realizing her voice came out.

"Hm?"

Katharina shook her head again, resisting the intention to tell Petra that this blanket belonged to Rivaille. But isn't that good? Petra can help her to take the blanket if the rain suddenly falls. If it's like this, then she can't leave the backyard, she has to keep the blanket until the hanging clouds leave completely.

They walked toward the tree, it seems like Petra did not intend to go back inside. Is Petra also waiting for someone from exploring? Like her?

"W-when will Survey Corps come back?" Katharina asked, intending to change the subject.

Petra was seen shrugging her shoulders, then sat leaning against a large tree trunk behind them. Katharina followed her actions, she sat down and hugged her bent knees.

"Are you also waiting for someone?" Petra asked.

Petra is waiting for someone? Eh, who? Maybe her brother? Her friend? Or…

"Hn. I'm waiting for Moblit, Hanji-san and Egon. They must be fighting Titan now. Wall Maria has been pierced and now the Titans are heading here. Who are you waiting for?"

A sigh of breath sounded beside him, Petra was seen repairing her pink hair when the wind blew again. Then Petra's hazel eyes met hers, the girl's smile was friendly. "Someone."

A mischievous smile appeared on Katharina's lips without realizing, "Someone? Ehhh ... Petra-san is waiting for a lover, right?"

Soft laughter rolled up the atmosphere, even the laughter like a goddess. How could anyone be created by God so perfectly? Katharina felt a little jealous, remembering how her body had grown not too far from a seven-year-old child. Her height is fairly short, maybe one meter is enough. She is not sure.

"Umm ... more like someone I admire."

Her forehead wrinkled, someone who was admired? Is it like she admires Aunt Maude? Her head tilted here and there, looking confused by Petra's statement. But Katharina never blushed when talking about Aunt Maude, so why did Petra blush?

"Do we have to blush when talking about someone we admire?" she asked.

"Not really, Katharina. But some girls will blush when they tell about their crush or someone they admire." Petra said.

Katharina tried to digest Petra's words. But it is very difficult. Gosh, is there another way to convey that to her small brain?

"Crush? Is that the same as admiring? "

Petra answered again, "Different. Sometimes you admire someone because he or she has talent, good attitude and something that can inspire you to follow all their achievements. But…"

Katharina focused all of her attention on Petra, listening carefully as Petra explained the difference between the two. "... A crush is different from admiring. Crush doesn't need any of that. If your heart is beating fast, and you feel happy seeing it every day, then you have a crush on that person. You want to feel you have it, hug it and declare that you like it."

Now Katharina's cheeks turned red. Hearing Petra say the word 'hugging, owning, and expressing likes' just made her blush around her cheeks. She cupped her cheeks once more, cooled her hot face.

"You've never had a crush on someone, have u?"

Katharina shook her head, still cupping her cheeks.

"Ahhh ~ that will happen to you in a few years!"

"Petra-san ..." Petra still looked at her. "Does that person always follow you around?"

Katharina said suddenly, releasing the discomfort she had felt earlier. Men with height such as Moblit remained behind the building, had been staring at them when Petra did not pay attention. But, Katharina is quite a person know the situation, she knew there was a man who had been peeking. It feels bad to tell Petra when the girl is enjoying a peaceful and calm atmosphere.

Petra glanced at Katharina's index finger, revealing a pair of shoes that had failed to be hidden from their vision. Until the voice of Petra who called out the man's name managed to make him come out of hiding.

"Oruo! Get out right now, you can't hide anymore, you know? "

The man finally came out, revealing himself to be much older than Katharina had expected. Or maybe it's genes?

The whole style of clothing reminds Katharina of someone. Gosh, who? Wait ... the way to walk is a bit haughty, with curled blonde hair. His eyes were deliberately glazed, and what Katharina recognized most was the bowknot that was often used by the only sharp-tongued person in the Survey Corps.

"Katharina, introduce this Oruo Bozado. Oruo, this is Katha― "

"Oi, brat. Must you tell Petra about my existence?"

The breath of Petra sounded, the girl massaged the bones of her nose. "Stop imitating Rivaille-san, Oruo. You are nothing like him at all!"

_Of course!_

Katharina just remembered, this man reminded her of Rivaille! How can she forget that? Baka!

"You're scary if it's like that, I thought you were ... a stalker." Katharina replied.

Chuckle was heard from Petra's lips, a man named Oruo just snorted and crossed his arms, wanting to revile again. "What do brats like you know about a stalker? Tch! You should just play well or— ***_SPLECH_***"

Shocked that the man's tongue was bleeding, Katharina did not have time to scream. She just closed her mouth. Oruo had just bitten his tongue, for some reason, Petra looked ordinary before finally removing a handkerchief from the pocket of her shirt, cleaning the blood around Oruo's mouth.

"I warned you before to stop following Rivaille-san's style. You're going to bite your tongue until it breaks, you know that!?" Her voice was firm but still soft. "Clean the rest."

"Forgive Oruo, Katharina. He forced himself too much. I sometimes even tired of advising him."

Oruo didn't listen, he sat next to Petra now. Still holding a handkerchief on his lips, thankfully there wasn't much to say now. But when he started again, it was as if the man was going to ask them to fight. Not at all similar to Rivaille.

"Let's see what the two brats are looking at in this boring place." Oruo began, his arms leaning back, making it a pillow, then his eyes closed dramatically. "You know? This is the most boring activity I've ever done. Waiting for rain or waiting for the blanket to dry."

"Both of them." Petra snorted again, leaning against the tree once more. "And stop to call me by that strange name, Oruo. We are the same age, remember your age."

"So you spend your precious time just sitting without activities with this one brat, Petra? I think you are more serious than this!"

Now Katharina was offended. Her face was red with annoyance, she really wanted to throw the man in flip flops. It doesn't matter if he is older than Katharina. It's so annoying to talk!

"Oi, brat! Can you get me a drink? It feels good to wait for your laundry to dry while drinking something."

"Just take it yourself." she said irritably, sounding a little hesitant, remembering that she had never been impudent to an older person. "I-I mean, I can't leave this place, y-you can take it yourself, can't you?"

"This brat is so boring, Petra!" Katharina was anxious to take refuge in Petra, in case Oruo intended to hit or hit her head. Oruo stood up, stretching his body until a joint was heard. "I take a drink, wait here. Not for YOU, brat. There is no drink for YOU."

"Oruo!"

"Fine! Fine! I'll bring a drink well for this brat, Petra! Stop complaining, we are not married yet!"

Petra's face turned red, either because of embarrassment or annoyance. Katharina only watched their mouths struggle patiently.

Oruo shrugged his shoulders unconcernedly before leaving and left them both under the tree.

"That pig..." Petra groaned in disgust, dropping her head on the back of the tree behind her.

"He seemed to be trying hard to follow Rivaille's style. How can you meet someone like him, Petra-san?" Katharina asked confused behind a clear resentment. Petra just sighed. "I-I don't mean that, Petra-san! But, h-he's annoying..."

"I know what you meant. It's alright, Katharina. He sure sucks. But he is kind, well despite trying hard to follow Rivaille-san's style, he still respects Rivaille-san or someone who is more senior than him. Sometimes Oruo can go too far so he doesn't consciously bite his tongue because he talks a lot."

Katharina nodded in understanding, despite being so annoying, Oruo still wanted to bring them sweet drinks, with three glasses on the tray. His annoying face did not change, but sometimes laughed with jokes he made himself. Petra just shook her head weakly.

Looks like a black cloud that hangs clean in the sky, now the sky looks bright blue, black clouds are replaced with white clouds of cotton. Maybe it was already in the afternoon, as evidenced by the distance of the sun now approaching the west side of the building. The wind was blowing slowly, refreshing the real situation that was in ruins out there.

Katharina looked at her glass again, the sweet drink made of strawberry juice that was ground to a smooth. The color is deep red, like blood. The blood of the people who were eaten by Titan, the blood of the warriors who defended the walls, the blood of children who did not have time to escape and got a ride on the ship, the blood of some Shinganshina residents who were abandoned and left to be the dinner of the Titans. Why does she suddenly want to vomit?

Are their activities currently cruel?

Hanji-san, Moblit, Egon, other Survey Corps members were outside Wall Rose, they were starving, thirsty because of a very long journey. How are civilians in Shinganshina?

Unknowingly her tears fell, dripping softly like morning dew. She had promised herself not to cry anymore. She must be strong.

Certainly other Districts in Maria's Wall are being evacuated now. If Wall Maria has been successfully penetrated, then there is no more life there. Residents must flee to Wall Rose so they don't starve to death in the Districts that is now surrounded by Titan.

The drink in her hand shone by the sunlight that was getting lower. The sparkle made Katharina not take her eyes off the reddish liquid in front of her. Even when Oruo finished with his drink, Petra followed and reprimanded her to drink her drink too.

Katharina only nodded weakly. Try drinking the red liquid little by little. Sweet and sour taste immediately crept in her throat, she gulped again and again like a thirsty person. Maybe Aunt Lilli is right. She shouldn't think too much about the people there, they will return safely. And there must be a way for the civilians in Shinganshina to evacuate everything.

If she has successfully become a doctor, she will be useful for everyone. She will be useful in all critical situations. Therefore, she must practice again with Hanji-san.

She would ask Hanji-san to show her how to sew a wet wound. Since she also had enough to master how to treat broken bones. She hasn't practiced that directly on humans, squirrels are her teaching material. But she was sure, she could.

She can do it.

* * *

_**The Second Day After the Fall of the Shinganshina District...**_

"Survey Corps members are here!"

With speed that could be said to be like lightning, Katharina ran through the hallways of the building, trying faster than the cadets who ran slowly. She turned sharply, almost crashing into a female cadet. She just wanted to see the people she had been waiting for almost a week.

When she reached the front, she was breathing heavily until her heart beat fast. Running from the kitchen to the front yard is not easy, especially the cadets enliven the hall.

Her small body sank as the taller cadets stood in front of her, they all whispered and ignored Katharina who was trying to jump up and down to see the remaining Survey Corps members. Even walking to find a gap is difficult.

She stopped jumping around when her body lifted easily, someone had just lifted her body. Katharina was too focused to pay attention to the rest of the Survey Corps members, her eyes widened when a long pile was on the wagon, it was certain that it was the bodies of other friends. Her heart touched. In the front row is Commander Shadis, meaning Katharina, former Commander Shadis. Then followed by Erwin Smith with his squad friends, in the back row there are Hanaba and ... Moblit!

Katharina's lips involuntarily formed a smile of relief, besides Hanji-san, Moblit also survived. One more thing she's looking for, Egon.

Her eyes were wild, looking for the tall blonde man, but nothing. There was no Egon anywhere, not even in the back row. The faces of Survey Corps members could not be read, some were in pain in the cart with their stubborn hands, some were in shock. The number who went to explore Beyond the Wall was not small, nearly 400 people. And now, not even 200 people return home.

_Impossible…_

_There's no way Egon ... died._

Katharina's horror gaze floated on the package by wooden carts. There's no way Egon died, it's impossible.

"Don't look for your friend, brat. Just give it." Said the man below her. Make Katharina reflexively bow.

Oruo just put on an annoying face as usual, "Are you done? You're heavy too."

Katharina awkwardly dropped from Oruo's shoulder, letting him turn his joints. "Thank you, Oruo."

"Not problem."

Katharina looked down again, "Have you ever lost a friend?"

The man nodded, his arms crossed on his chest. Looks like trying to imitate Rivaille again. "Tch. It's normal for Survey Corps to lose friends, so don't make contact with someone."

"Don't imitate Rivaille, Oruo." Katharina said without realizing. "You even built a friendly relationship with Petra-san and some of your friends that I often see in the dining room. If indeed you don't build relationships with others, you will definitely sit alone and eat alone like Rivaille."

"Oi. Watch your mouth, brat! I'm anti social, you know."

Only annoyed grunts could Katharina make. "Yeah. Whatever you say."

"Rancid girl. How could I offer my shoulder earlier."

Why is Katharina sensitive like this? She hated to admit that Egon's absence in the Survey Corps line affected her mood. Even if Oruo bites his tongue many times, she won't be comforted. She hated to admit that one of her friends didn't exist. Or maybe Egon is still alive?

Why is Katharina so stupid? She should not have jumped to the conclusion that Egon was no longer in this world. She should have met with Moblit or Hanji-san, or even Erwin Smith to find out information about Egon.

She ran away leaving Oruo who called out her name in annoyance when her shoes were accidentally stepped on. Katharina immediately shouted apologies without stopping. Today she had to know information about Egon's absence in the line.

"Sorry!"

She said every time she hit a cadet wrong. Until she stopped, breathing hard right in front of Moblit's room door and behind her was Rivaille's room, very quiet in the hallway. Her awkwardness at Moblit is gone, she often goes in and out of this room, it doesn't matter if she doesn't knock.

But Moblit is not inside. Could he be still with Hanji-san? But Moblit should be resting now. When Katharina was about to turn around, the short figure surprised her.

She almost hit the face if she didn't think. Sharp lazy eyes, hands on chest, undercut haircut, bowknot still attached to neck, emotionless face...

"Rivaille!"

"Yo."

She could barely distinguish Oruo and Rivaille if it were not from their body size and their different faces. Stupid Katharina!

Sweat gushed like river water on his temple, not finished with the rest of sweat from running from there to here, Rivaille increased the amount of sweat again. Being stared at like this makes her knees tremble. Katharina remained standing there, unsure whether she should go or stand like a statue awaiting orders.

"Are you done staring?" Rivaille opened the conversation again.

"Hah?"

Rivaille looked at her. Her face even turned red now, there was no time to cup her cheeks and clear her blood flow. Katharina couldn't move because she was afraid.

"What material did you use to clean my blanket?" Asked Rivaille in a calm tone as usual.

Katharina's hands linked together, making a knot that herself did not know. When she was about to check which direction Rivaille was, she hurriedly looked down. Not a split second the sharp eyes left her body.

"T-That is the kind of fragrance that H-Hanji-san often uses." Katharina answered nervously.

"And you poured all the cleaning fluid to clean my bathroom?" The rhetorical question they both knew.

Katharina nodded weakly. And there was only a thin sigh of breath from the man in front of her. Katharina waited, not daring to ask or speak first, she had to maintain silence so as not to make Rivaille angry. How is Rivaille angry about?

"Brat."

Katharina reflexively stared.

"If you are looking for Titan Freak and his Assistant, they are in the backyard." Rivaille said in a bored tone.

If the Titan Freak that Rivaille was referring to was Hanji-san, then her assistant was definitely Moblit. Hanji-san's addiction to Titan can't be cured anymore, once Hanji-san invited Rivaille to capture Titan alive. Moblit told the incident carefully, about Hanji-san who got the corpse of a Survey Corps member dwelling in a tree and how a strange note fell down beside the tree.

That makes Hanji-san increasingly want to explore Titan. Her study time with Hanji-san is a bit limited.

"Rivaille-san, I want to ask you about someone."

"Hm."

"Do you know a member of Survey Corps named Egon Freundlich? I.. I didn't see him in line, he's my friend. I just want to make sure th― "

"He went to Quinta District, maybe died on the way there."

Katharina turned her gaze to something behind Rivaille.

"I see."

Katharina doesn't know how weak her tone is, it's just that she feels tired. Her knees are like a dough, feel soft and not powerful at all. Even to drag herself seemed she could no longer.

"Yeah. So make it a habit."

There was nothing left for Katharina to ask Rivaille. Standing like a fool like this won't take her to the backyard. Katharina said goodbye to Rivaille before stepping into the kitchen hallway.

Even after Katharina arrived in the kitchen, all she heard was faint chat among Survey Corps members who survived the trip today. She unconsciously bit her lips when their topic entered a sensitive place.

"... I heard that the Quinta District has fallen ..."

"Eh? Don't kidding! Didn't the Armorred Titan only destroy Shinganshina? The Quinta District is far away!"

"You think the Colossal Titan is as small as a human? His body is big, you know that. Even the biggest of the Titans, the wall that reaches more than fifty meters can even compete."

"How many Survey Corps members go there?"

Her legs were stiff to take another step, she didn't want to hear about Quinta District, she didn't want to shudder and was sad. However, she was there, standing like a statue.

"I think about seventy people."

"I hope they return safely ..."

"Don't expect more, Wall Maria has been broken. They are not members of the strongest squad, but well I don't expect them to all die. But look at the reality that we often face. Only Erwin's Squad has never faced death during exploration, plus one member who just joined last year."

"Isn't the strongest candidate who will replace Commander Shadis, Erwin Smith? He's very good in strategy."

"Hmm, that's what I heard. After all that's good news I've heard this week."

Katharina walked again, still hearing the faint chat of the two cadets. She was in no mood to help Aunt Lilli prepare lunch at this time, she had to meet with Moblit.

Without realizing something was dripping on her cheek, her feet were at the end of the kitchen door that led to the backyard.

Silent.

Her hand touched his eyes reflexively, and there was water there. Did she cry without realizing?

"….Tears?"

Since when has she cried unconsciously?

Even there was the back of Moblit already visible, she just needed to run to ask the truth that was happening. Then why can't she move? Why does everything look gloomy?

The sky does not support the depression, even the sun shines brightly. She is still vulnerable to accepting the fact that the death of someone you know must be this painful. Although dust began to cling to her face, Katharina did not move. She let the flow more swift, no sobs. Until her throat hurt hold all.

She could not help herself to stop. She was tired of holding back all the tears she always dared not bring up. Why does everyone she loves have to leave?

Aunt Maude left her in three years' time, she promised to visit Katharina if she kept her hair short. Her father ... her father even left before she could understand what the world was.

Egon ... even Egon whom she considers like her own brother went to another world. Is this really her destiny? Is making her loved ones leave is her destiny?

"Rina?"

Her body is stiff.

Unaware of the surroundings, her eyes flickered for a long time, making the last round fall to the cheek. Her head looked up slowly, watching the tall body of Moblit in front of her. Since when was Moblit in front of her? Why doesn't she realize it?

The calloused Moblit's hand stroked her cheek gently, even though the hand was large and rough-based, Katharina could still feel comfort. "Are you crying?"

"Th-that's ..."

When she spoke, her voice sounded like it was made of gravel. Her clear tone of chopping was severely choked which forced her to stop several times. Her teary eyes closed and one tear, as clear as a spring running down her cheek. Finally she stopped trying and bowed her head in a loud cry.

Her hands wrapped around Moblit's body, until she felt that the pain in her chest stopped on its own. But hugging Moblit made her sicker. She tried not to let out loud sobs like a roar, and ended up biting her lips in exhaustion.

"W-Why?" How hoarse, she just realized that her voice was very croak until now. "Why do b-best people d-die quickly?"

There is no sound from the Moblit side. But the warmth of Moblit's palm creeping up soothed her back.

"Hey, look at me." Then the hands spread to the surface of her cheeks, cupping them until they looked at each other. The warmth of Moblit's eyes stunned her.

"When you are in the garden, which flower do you want to pick first?"

Katharina looked at him confused. She still sobbed loudly, but tried to answer. "T-The most beautiful."

"B-But what's the connection? God's angry at them and that's why they are dying so soon! My mother d-died because God didn't want to see me happy. My father ... my father left me, even Aunt Maude did the same thing!"

"They're good people, Katharina. The world is filled with millions of people and God chose them to live in more beautiful places. So it is with our family. They died not because God was angry, but God loved them more."

"I ..." she said, shaking her head. "I love them too." Her voice was soft, almost fragile and inaudible. Like her heart will break in a few minutes, or maybe it's already broken.

Moblit crouched to equalize their height. Her body was weak and didn't realize Moblit's hug. She has no energy, her heart is empty, and her tears no longer want to come out.

_This might be better._

"I'm sure they love you very much too, Rina. And the people around you also love you a lot. You must plant it in your heart, you are not alone. There will be people who always accompany you."

Even Moblit's voice was faint.

She still sobbed slightly. "Why does Titan need to exist in this world? Even good people like Egon must become victim."

"When you enter the Survey Corps, death is normal for you. We face death every day. People who have a family, or even just being alone in this world, they don't care whether tomorrow is their death day or maybe the next day." Moblit said behind her ear. "Listen, Katharina, I really am not familiar with Egon. But I believe, Egon's death was not in vain. About seventy people were ordered to the Quinta District, west of Wall Maria, Egon volunteered because that was where his family lived. He sacrificed himself to save his family, at least he was in a beautiful place with the people he loved. Don't you also want to live with the people you care about, Katharina?"

Moblit speech is not entirely wrong. Katharina wants to be in the midst of people who love her and she loves them. Moblit has been by her side for three years, Aunt Lilli often reprimands her but she knows that it is for Katharina's own good, and even though Uncle Abelard only visits once a month, Katharina knows that Uncle Abelard's heart must still pay attention to Katharina. Also Aunt Maude, she must still be thinking of Katharina. Working as a doctor is not easy.

The sobbing grew when Katharina returned the Moblit hug tightly. Hope Moblit doesn't leave her too.

She doesn't want to be lonely anymore.

Doesn't want.

* * *

Sorry for the long wait for the new chapter! I wrote this a few months ago and translated it a month ago. sorry for the delay, I promise I will try to update the new chapter as soon as possible.

and thank you for the reviews you gave! it really makes me proud and excited to continue this fanfiction. and I'm also waiting for Attack on Titan Season 4! Who can't wait for September? get your hands up ! \\(^0^)/


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